N. Korea promotes industry veterans in Cabinet reshuffle

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, UPDATES story with Seoul spokesman quote on expertise,metal minister)
By Kim Hyun
SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Yonhap) -- North Korea promoted industrial veterans to Cabinet
posts in its latest reshuffle, a signal of Pyongyang's stepped-up economic drive,
a Seoul spokesman said Tuesday.
A reshuffle in the communist state is usually inferred when new faces appear in
its media as the country does not publicize such moves.
Five new names were mentioned as the North's ministers of railways, forestry,
electricity, agriculture and metal industry in the North's New Year message and
reports in October, Seoul's Unification Ministry Spokesman Kim Ho-nyoun said.
"They are formerly vice ministers or those who climbed the ladder in each field.
The reshuffle considered their on-spot experiences and expertise," the spokesman
said.
It was not clear when the reshuffle took place, he said.
North Korean media have been reporting a brisk campaign to rebuild the country's
frail industrial infrastructure, following up on the New Year economic blueprint
rolled out by leader Kim Jong-il. Kim called for increased production in
electricity, coal, agriculture and daily equipment, with the aim of building a
"prosperous and powerful nation" by 2012, the 100th anniversary of his father and
North Korean founder Kim Il-sung's birth.
In the reshuffle, Jon Kil-su was named minister of railways; Kim Kwang-yong
minister of forestry; Ho Taek minister of power industry; Kim Chang-sik minister
of agriculture; Kim Tae-bong minister of metal industry.
Kim Kwang-yong and Kim Chang-sik were vice ministers and Jon held a senior post
in their respective ministry. Ho was formerly a power plant chief, while little
was known about Kim Tae-bong, Seoul officials said.
The shakeup was rumored to have affected more posts, but the Seoul spokesman
could not officially confirm it.
Government sources also say North Korea sacked its pointman on South Korea for
misjudging Seoul's conservative administration. Choe Sung-chol, vice chairman of
the Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, a North Korean state organization handling
inter-Korean affairs under the Workers' Party, was dismissed in early 2008 for
not accurately assessing the South Korea's Lee Myung-bak government, they say.
The spokesman said he heard of the speculation "many times" but had no facts to
confirm Choe's dismissal.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)